Spuing motor



July 10,' 1928.

.Y D. E. oDoM SPRING MOTOR Filed Jan. 25, 1927 Patented July 1o, 192e.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL E. ODOM, 0F BENNETTSVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA;

SPRING MOTOR.

Application led January 25, 1927. Serial No. 163,417.

This invention relates to spring motors and primarily it is an improvement on the structure disclosed in my Patent No. 1,520,- 548, dated December 23, 1924, and the structures shown in my pending application Serial No. 757 ,153iled December 20.y 1924,

' and my pending application Serial No.

133,265, sied september 2, i926. y

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this character comprising a drum and an operating spring associated therewith together with aresilient member having close contact with the drum and wherein the spring and resilient member have coacting means for connecting the same one to the other, a portion of such means normally interlocking with the drum.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a motor of this kind embodying a resilient member having close `contact with the drum and with which an Voperating spring is adapted to be connected, such connection between the spring and resilient member being such as to require a minimum of space within the drum, thus permitting the spring to have a maximum of running action.

The invention consists inthe 4details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved spring motor whereby certain iml portant advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise moreconvenient and advantageous for use, as'will be hereinafter more fully set forth.V f

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to'zthe accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a viewin side elevation il-V p the spring and resilient member as embodied in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the connection between the spring and resilient member arranged in accordance with a further embodiment of my ,invention Figure 4 is a view in perspective ot' the end portion of the resilient member with which the spring is engaged;

Figure 5 is a view in perspective illustrating a still further embodiment of connection between the spring and resilient member.

As-lierein disclosed, a drum D of requisite dimensions is mounted upon a shaft S, the same having relative rotation upon the ac'- tion of a; spring A. The inner end of the spring A, as herein disclosed, is operatively engaged, as at 1, with an arbor 2 mounted upon the shaft Sin a conventional manner.

As is particularly illustrated in Figure 2, the outer end of the spring A is provided with a reduced extension 3 provided at the transverse center of the spring A with an opening or slot 4. As illustrated in Figure 2, this slot 4 is rectangular in :form although it is `only essential that the forward edge wall 5 of the opening or slot 4 be substantially perpendicular `to the longitudinal axis of the extension 3 or spring A.

`The inner face of the peripheral wall 6 of the drum D is provided with the grooves or channels 7. While these grooves or channels 7 may be formed in such wall proper, in the present embodiment of my invention they are disclosed as constituting corrugations provided in a sleeve 8 snugly fitting within the drum and held to the drum against independent movement in any dcsired manner.

Having direct contact throughout. its major portion with the peripheral wall 6 of the drum, or more specilically the sleeve 8, is a resilient arcuate member M of a length in excess of a semi-circle. The extension 3 of the spring A extends between one end por tion of the member M and the sleeve -8 and said extremity of the member M is provided with a plurality of outwardly disposed lips 9. These lips 9 are herein disclosed as three in number spaced apart in a direction transversely ot the member M with the intermediate lip 9 at the transverse center of the member M. This intermediate lip 9 is disposed outwardly through the slot 4 inthe Upon a turning of the shaft S and arbor Y 2 to wind `the spring A, the tension of the arcuate member M will maintain the out-- standing lips or parts 9 Within a ,groove or channel 7 but, when the spring has been woundL to the desired predetermined 1degree the lips or parts 9 will unseat permitting the member M, upon further turning `movement of the. arboi` 2 or shaft S, to have rotation, within the drum D -or to `slip around therein, thus preventing .overwinding ofthe spring. It will be understood that iduring 'this slipping-the lips or outstanding part-s 9 passing over the grooves or ychannels 7 will result in theicreat-ion :of Aan landi-ble sound tov give :notice that the spring A has been placed under ydesired tens-ion. c

vIt will be observed that the intermediate lip or part 9 normally will have close contact with the edge wall ofthe opening 4 permitting suoli relative movement between the member M and the adjacent end portion f of the spring A to compensate `for any inequalities which may be present inthespring .and thus assuring .a direct alignment loit 'the spring A and member By having the outer jend ofthe spring A,

,or more particularly the vextension 8, disposed outwardly of the coacting end `of the member M, it will be noted vthat at :all times the desired connection between the `spring A and member M will 'be maintained. As is illustrated in Figure l wherein the spring v.A is `shown substantial-lyunwound `it'wi'l'l be observed that this rconnection is effectively maintained. As pull `is imposed through the Ispring A upon the member ,M `it will be v noted that such pull will at all times be dika tendency to separate the cbnnection.

rected upon the intermediate lip-9 and at no time will there vbe any pull or stra-in having In other words it is to lbe particularly 4stated :that the connection is such that the pull of the spring YA upon 'the .member will zat all times have a tendency to maintain a close connection. i f f In the embodiment Aof my .inventionY as illustrated in Figure the outer end of the spring A is provided with a plurality of transversely disposed vopenings or 4slots 4 through each of which is disposed outward- -ly a lip or outstanding part 9 carried by the member M. This embodiment may be .employed when it is deemed vnecessary to have greaterconnecting engagement between Vthe vs.pring and resilient member.

In the embodiment of my invention as illustrated in Figure ;5 the extension 3 of the spring Ay is provided .with what is knownin the trade `as a pear-shaped 'slot 4 which isadapted to be operatively engaged with an outstanding *stud 10 carried .by the adjacent end portion ofthe resilient member M. This direct connection between the spring A and :the member M will permit sucli relative movement between these parts to maintain the same in desired alignment. The member M is also provided with the outstanding lips or parts 9 the intermedi` ate `one of which being 4disposed outwardly .through the inner portion of the slot 4".

Inl order to assure the most effective action tof the lips o-ioii-tstancling parts 9, 9 or 9" it is preferred that the same be disposed rearwardly on a. predetermined incline kprefer- :ably at Van angle of approximatelyseventy degrees.

Attention is directed to the vtact that with the connection as illustrated in Figure 5, particularly as pertains to the Vstud 10 ien- Agaging within Ithe slot l, the fsameadvantages will be obtained .as pertains to .the .pull imposed npon the spring A as hereinbefore stated yindetai'l in connection with the embodiment of my invention as particularly illustrated in .Figures l and 2.

From the foregoing Jdescription .it is thought to be obvious 'that a spring motor constructed accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted 'for use by reason of the convenience `and facility with which it may be assembled and operated',

:and it will also :be obvious that my invention is susceptible of r:some change and modi-- Vfication without vdeparting-from the principles vand spirit thereof and for this rea- :son I do .not wish tofbe understood as lim- Y iting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein :shown in `carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

l. vIn lcombination with 'a shaft, av drum mounted thereon having ka grooved peripheral wall, Aa' spiral spring .surrounding the rshaftland having its inner end portion ien- .gaged therewith, the louter end portion ofthe spring being provided with an opening, an arcuate resilient member within the drum, the outer extremity of the spring extending between the resilient member and the peripheral Wall sof the drum, and an outstanding part carried bythe resilient member and extending through the opening in the spring to scat within a groove of `the drum.

2. In combination with a shaft, a :drum mounted thereon having a peripheral Wall,

a :spiral spring surrounding the shaft and having its inner portion enga-ged therewith, `an arcuate resilient member having` con-tact` with the peripheralv wallof the drum, the outer portion of the spring extending between the resilient member `and the peripheral wall of the drum, said `outer end portion of the spr-ingv having anopening, and an outwardly directed part carried by the resilient member and extending through the opening in the spring for connecting 'the .spring t-o the resilient member.

3. In lcombination with 'a shaft, a drum mounted thereon having a peripheral Wall,

a spiral spring surrounding the shaft and ripheral wall of the drum, said outer portion having its inner portion engaged therewith, of the spring and the resilient member hav- 10 an arcuate resilient member having Contact ing coaeting means to Connect one to the with the peripheral wall of the drum, said other.

l l.resxilient member extending only partially In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my around said peripheral wall, the outer porsignature. tion of the spring extending between an end portion of the resilient member and the pe- DANIEL E. ODOM. 

